Chinese Question Words: Who, What, Where, When, Why & How

How do you ask who, what, where, when, why, and how in Chinese?

Here are the most useful Mandarin question words to learn first:

Knowing the words is only half of the lesson.

The really useful part is learning where to put them in a Chinese sentence.

English often moves a question word toward the beginning:

What do you like?

Mandarin usually leaves the question word where the missing information would normally appear:

你喜欢什么
nǐ xǐhuan shénme
What do you like?

Compare the answer:

我喜欢咖啡
wǒ xǐhuan kāfēi
I like coffee.

The position of 什么 matches the position of 咖啡.

Once you understand this pattern, Chinese question words become much easier to use.

Chinese Question Words at a Glance

Here is a quick reference before we look at each word in detail.

You do not need to memorize all of them at once.

Start with:

谁 什么 哪里 什么时候 为什么 怎么

Those six words already let you ask a huge number of everyday questions.

How Chinese Question Word Order Works

Before learning individual question words, understand one important difference between English and Mandarin.

Consider this statement:

你喜欢咖啡
nǐ xǐhuan kāfēi
You like coffee.

Now suppose you do not know what the person likes.

Replace 咖啡 with 什么:

你喜欢什么
nǐ xǐhuan shénme
What do you like?

The rest of the sentence does not need to move around.

Here is another example.

Statement:

你住在上海
nǐ zhù zài Shànghǎi
You live in Shanghai.

Question:

你住在哪里
nǐ zhù zài nǎlǐ
Where do you live?

上海 is the missing information, so 哪里 occupies that position.

This “replace the unknown information” idea is one of the easiest ways to build Chinese questions correctly.

1. 谁 shéi — Who

谁 (shéi) means who.

Use it when asking about a person.

For example:

他是谁
tā shì shéi
Who is he?

You can also ask:

谁是你的老师
shéi shì nǐ de lǎoshī
Who is your teacher?

Or:

你在等谁
nǐ zài děng shéi
Who are you waiting for?

Notice again that 谁 does not automatically move to the beginning.

In:

你在等谁

the unknown person comes after 等, so 谁 stays there.

2. 什么 shénme — What

什么 (shénme) means what.

It is one of the most useful question words in Mandarin.

For example:

你喜欢什么
nǐ xǐhuan shénme
What do you like?

You can also ask:

你想吃什么
nǐ xiǎng chī shénme
What do you want to eat?

Another extremely useful phrase is:

这是什么
zhè shì shénme
What is this?

If you are learning new vocabulary, this is a question worth memorizing early.

什么名字 — What Name

A very common beginner question is:

你叫什么名字
nǐ jiào shénme míngzi
What is your name?

Literally, the structure is closer to asking you are called what name.

Do not try to translate every part into English word order. Learn the Chinese sentence as a complete pattern.

3. 哪 nǎ — Which

哪 (nǎ) means which.

It commonly appears before a measure word.

For example:

哪个
nǎ ge
which one

A useful question is:

你喜欢哪个
nǐ xǐhuan nǎ ge
Which one do you like?

With a noun, you might say:

你喜欢哪本书
nǐ xǐhuan nǎ běn shū
Which book do you like?

Here:

哪 + 本 + 书

means:

which + measure word + book

This is why learning Chinese measure words is useful for much more than counting.

4. 哪里 nǎlǐ and 哪儿 nǎr — Where

Two common ways to say where are:

哪里 (nǎlǐ)

and:

哪儿 (nǎr)

Both are widely understood.

For example:

你住在哪里
nǐ zhù zài nǎlǐ
Where do you live?

Or:

你住在哪儿
nǐ zhù zài nǎr
Where do you live?

Another useful question is:

洗手间在哪里
xǐshǒujiān zài nǎlǐ
Where is the restroom?

This is particularly useful when traveling.

哪里 vs 哪儿

For a beginner, you can treat both as meaning where.

哪儿 is especially associated with northern Mandarin speech and the use of 儿化 (érhuà), while 哪里 is also common and broadly understood.

You do not need to force yourself to use both immediately. Choose one comfortably, while learning to recognize the other.

5. 什么时候 shénme shíhou — When

什么时候 (shénme shíhou) means when.

For example:

你什么时候回家
nǐ shénme shíhou huí jiā
When are you going home?

Another example:

你什么时候有时间
nǐ shénme shíhou yǒu shíjiān
When do you have time?

The expression contains:

什么 — what

时候 — time / moment

But as a complete question expression, 什么时候 means when.

6. 为什么 wèishénme — Why

为什么 (wèishénme) means why.

For example:

你为什么学中文
nǐ wèishénme xué Zhōngwén
Why are you learning Chinese?

Another example:

你为什么笑
nǐ wèishénme xiào
Why are you laughing?

A common answer to a 为什么 question can use:

因为 (yīnwèi) — because

For example:

因为我喜欢中文
yīnwèi wǒ xǐhuan Zhōngwén
Because I like Chinese.

A useful pair to remember is therefore:

为什么 → 因为

why → because

7. 怎么 zěnme — How

怎么 (zěnme) commonly asks how something is done.

For example:

这个怎么说
zhège zěnme shuō
How do you say this?

Another useful question is:

这个字怎么读
zhège zì zěnme dú
How do you read this character?

You can also ask:

怎么去火车站
zěnme qù huǒchēzhàn
How do I get to the train station?

These are practical sentences for both Chinese learners and travelers.

8. 怎么样 zěnmeyàng — How Is It or How About

怎么样 (zěnmeyàng) is related to 怎么, but they are not interchangeable in every sentence.

怎么样 often asks about someone’s opinion, condition, or assessment.

For example:

这个怎么样
zhège zěnmeyàng
How is this? / What about this one?

You can also ask:

你最近怎么样
nǐ zuìjìn zěnmeyàng
How have you been recently?

A useful beginner distinction is:

怎么 → how to do something / by what method

怎么样 → how something is / what something is like

This is a simplification, but it works well for many everyday situations.

9. 几 jǐ — How Many

几 (jǐ) is used to ask how many, especially when a relatively small or limited number is expected.

It normally comes before a measure word.

For example:

你有几个朋友
nǐ yǒu jǐ ge péngyou
How many friends do you have?

Another common example is:

你家有几个人
nǐ jiā yǒu jǐ ge rén
How many people are in your family?

Notice the structure:

几 + Measure Word + Noun

For example:

几个朋友

几个人

几本书

This is another reason measure words are an important part of beginner Mandarin.

10. 多少 duōshao — How Many or How Much

多少 (duōshao) can mean how many or how much.

One of the most useful examples is:

这个多少钱
zhège duōshao qián
How much is this?

You can also ask:

你们学校有多少学生
nǐmen xuéxiào yǒu duōshao xuésheng
How many students does your school have?

几 vs 多少

Both can ask about quantity, but there is a useful beginner distinction.

几 is often used when the expected number is relatively small or limited.

多少 is more open-ended and is also used to ask prices.

Compare:

你有几个孩子
How many children do you have?

and:

这个多少钱
How much is this?

Do not worry about mastering every nuance immediately. Learn the common patterns first.

什么 vs 哪 — What vs Which

English learners sometimes confuse 什么 and 哪 because both can appear when asking someone to choose or identify something.

The basic distinction is:

什么 asks what.

哪 asks which from a set or category.

Compare:

你喜欢什么书
nǐ xǐhuan shénme shū
What kind of books do you like?

and:

你喜欢哪本书
nǐ xǐhuan nǎ běn shū
Which book do you like?

The second question asks you to identify a particular book.

Notice that 哪 also combines with the measure word 本:

哪 + 本 + 书

怎么 vs 怎么样 — What’s the Difference?

These two words look similar but serve different purposes.

Compare:

这个怎么说
How do you say this?

with:

这个怎么样
How is this? / What about this one?

The first asks for a method.

The second asks for an opinion or evaluation.

Learning them through complete sentences is much easier than trying to memorize dictionary definitions.

Do Chinese Question Words Need 吗?

Usually, no.

This is an important beginner mistake to avoid.

吗 (ma) is commonly used to turn a statement into a yes-or-no question.

For example:

你喜欢中文吗
nǐ xǐhuan Zhōngwén ma
Do you like Chinese?

But when a sentence already contains a question word such as 什么, 谁, or 哪里, you normally do not add 吗 just to make it a question.

Say:

你喜欢什么

not:

你喜欢什么吗

when you mean What do you like?

Similarly:

你住在哪里

already means:

Where do you live?

The question word itself tells the listener what information you are asking for.

Common Beginner Mistakes

Moving the Question Word to the Beginning

English says:

What do you want to eat?

This can tempt learners to build Chinese in the same order.

Instead, think about the normal statement:

你想吃面条
You want to eat noodles.

Replace the unknown information:

你想吃什么
What do you want to eat?

The question word remains where the answer belongs.

Adding 吗 to Every Question

Not every Chinese question needs 吗.

Use 吗 for many yes-or-no questions:

你是学生吗
nǐ shì xuésheng ma
Are you a student?

But a question-word sentence such as:

他是谁

already asks for specific information.

Confusing 哪里 and 哪

Remember:

哪 — which

哪里 / 哪儿 — where

For example:

哪本书
which book

but:

你在哪里
where are you

Forgetting the Measure Word After 哪 or 几

Chinese often needs a measure word in structures such as:

哪本书

and:

几个朋友

rather than treating the noun exactly as English does.

If this pattern is unfamiliar, review our Chinese measure words guide.

Translating Word by Word

Questions such as:

你叫什么名字

can sound unusual if you translate every character mechanically into English.

Instead, learn useful Chinese questions as complete sentence patterns.

This will help you speak more naturally and respond faster.

10 Chinese Questions Worth Memorizing

If you want a practical starter set, memorize these ten questions.

Do not just read the table.

Say each question aloud, listen to the audio examples above, and imagine a real situation where you would use it.

Quick Practice

Choose the best Chinese question word.

1. You want to ask who someone is

Which word do you need?

谁 / 什么 / 怎么

Answer:

谁

Example:

他是谁

2. You want to ask what someone wants to eat

Which word do you need?

哪里 / 什么 / 几

Answer:

什么

The complete question is:

你想吃什么

3. You want to ask where someone lives

Which expression do you need?

为什么 / 哪里 / 什么时候

Answer:

哪里

The complete question is:

你住在哪里

4. You want to ask why someone studies Chinese

Which word do you need?

为什么 / 怎么样 / 谁

Answer:

为什么

The complete question is:

你为什么学中文

5. You want to ask when someone is going home

Which expression do you need?

什么时候 / 什么 / 多少

Answer:

什么时候

The complete question is:

你什么时候回家

6. You want to ask how to say something

Which word do you need?

怎么 / 哪里 / 几

Answer:

怎么

The complete question is:

这个怎么说

7. You want to ask the price

Which word do you need?

谁 / 多少 / 哪

Answer:

多少

A common question is:

这个多少钱

8. You want to ask which book someone likes

Which word do you need?

哪 / 哪里 / 为什么

Answer:

哪

Because 书 normally uses the measure word 本, the complete question is:

你喜欢哪本书

Build Questions by Replacing the Answer

Here is one final exercise that helps make Chinese word order feel natural.

Start with an answer:

他是我的老师
He is my teacher.

Replace the unknown person:

谁是你的老师
Who is your teacher?

Now try a location.

Statement:

我住在北京
I live in Beijing.

Replace 北京:

你住在哪里
Where do you live?

Now try an object.

Statement:

我喜欢这本书
I like this book.

Replace the book:

你喜欢哪本书
Which book do you like?

This is a much better mental model than translating an English question word by word.

Think:

Where would the answer go?

Then put the Chinese question word there.

FAQ

What are the main question words in Chinese?

Some of the most useful Mandarin question words are:

谁 — who

什么 — what

哪 — which

哪里 / 哪儿 — where

什么时候 — when

为什么 — why

怎么 — how

怎么样 — how is / how about

几 — how many

多少 — how many / how much

How do you say “what” in Chinese?

什么 (shénme) means what.

For example:

这是什么

means:

What is this?

How do you say “who” in Chinese?

谁 (shéi) means who.

For example:

他是谁

means:

Who is he?

How do you say “where” in Chinese?

Two common forms are:

哪里 (nǎlǐ)

and:

哪儿 (nǎr)

For example:

你住在哪里

means:

Where do you live?

How do you say “why” in Chinese?

为什么 (wèishénme) means why.

For example:

你为什么学中文

means:

Why are you learning Chinese?

How do you say “how” in Chinese?

怎么 (zěnme) commonly means how, especially when asking how to do something.

For example:

这个怎么说

means:

How do you say this?

What is the difference between 怎么 and 怎么样?

As a useful beginner rule, 怎么 often asks how something is done, while 怎么样 often asks what something is like or requests an opinion.

For example:

这个怎么说 — How do you say this?

这个怎么样 — How is this? / What about this?

What is the difference between 几 and 多少?

Both can ask about quantity.

几 is commonly used when the expected number is relatively small or limited and often appears before a measure word.

多少 is more open-ended and is also used when asking prices.

Do you add 吗 after Chinese question words?

Normally, no.

If the sentence already contains an interrogative such as 谁, 什么, 哪里, or 为什么, you normally do not add 吗 simply to make it a question.

吗 is commonly used for yes-or-no questions instead.

Do Chinese question words go at the beginning of a sentence?

Not necessarily.

Unlike English, Mandarin generally keeps the question expression in the position occupied by the information being requested.

For example:

你喜欢咖啡
You like coffee.

becomes:

你喜欢什么
What do you like?

This is one of the most useful Chinese question patterns for beginners to learn.

What to Learn Next

Once you know these question words, start combining them with the vocabulary and grammar you already know.

If 哪本书 and 几个朋友 are unfamiliar, read our Chinese measure words guide.

If you are still learning how Mandarin sounds are represented, our Chinese Pinyin guide explains the system, while Pinyin Tone Marks Explained focuses on the four Mandarin tones and tone marks.

For everyday conversation, you can also learn how to say hello in Chinese, how are you in Mandarin, and how to say thank you in Mandarin.

You can practice individual Chinese characters and pronunciation with the Chinese character pronunciation tool.

Final Thoughts

You do not need complicated grammar to start asking useful questions in Mandarin.

Begin with six high-frequency question words:

谁 — who

什么 — what

哪里 — where

什么时候 — when

为什么 — why

怎么 — how

Then remember the most important word-order principle from this lesson:

Put the question word where the answer would normally go.

If the answer is:

我喜欢咖啡

then ask:

你喜欢什么

If the answer is:

我住在上海

then ask:

你住在哪里

Practice this replacement pattern with vocabulary you already know, and Chinese questions will start to feel much more predictable.